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Ladyship: Reinventing a Westerly Pageant 23

Posted by Rob Hoffman | Boat Reviews

Ladyship: Reinventing a Westerly Pageant 23

Ladyship  started life in 1971 as a twin-keel Westerly Pageant 23, exported from England to a Westerly dealer on the lower Chesapeake Bay. She moved from there to an owner in Virginia and somehow ended up in Corpus Christi, Texas, where she had a couple of owners. We suspect she might have been sunk at some point, possibly the victim of a hurricane, as we found hidden mud debris inside her that could not have arrived there otherwise.

When we found her, she had been confiscated for non-payment of yard storage and was in a salvage yard about to be scrapped. We bought her through an eBay ad. She had no trailer, but had her mast and boom, albeit in sorry shape.

I had been intrigued with twin-keelers for quite a while after reading about Lord Riverdale’s exploits with  Bluebird of Thorne , his twin-keel ocean racer. I then read a treatise by Bray Yacht Design in Canada that further served to kindle my interest. This is perhaps the best argument in their favor and is well worth reading:  Bray Yacht Design – Twin Keels .

From a practical standpoint, the Westerly Pageant also boasted interior accommodations still unmatched in any other 23-foot sailboat. It has more than 6 feet of standing headroom below and an enclosed head. The storage capacity is also comparatively large and, while not ever considered a “racer,” it was built in the early days of fiberglass boat construction under Lloyd’s Registry inspection. If anything, it is overbuilt by today’s standards and very solid, if comparatively heavy. My challenge was to see if we could substantially improve the performance of this very roomy, comfortable, but rather stodgy old British design and still retain most of her original character and benefits that are so enduring.

Major surgery, we cut our the aft cockpit seats and cut a hole in the hull

Making a plan

I retained the services of Cortland Steck, the same naval architect we had worked with before on our Alubat modifications (Good Old Boat, March 2013). Cort, who had been with Hunter Marine for quite a while, and I worked together to come up with this makeover of our Pageant 23. We decided to call her a Mark II version, as her changes were substantial enough to almost make her a different boat from the original Laurent Giles design. Westerly built 551 Pageants over about a nine-year production span.

There are always things that hindsight would dictate be done differently, but for the most part, we consider the project to be quite successful and the boat has performed well over several cruises and even in a regatta where she garnered second place on elapsed time in a field of about eight other sailboats of various designs, some of them much larger.

As well as generally cleaning and refinishing the boat, we made a number of major changes.

The rig was enlarged a little to add a bowsprit and a removable inner forestay. The new bowsprit is made of ipe, a hardwood that is considerably stronger than teak. An inner “soft” forestay now carries a small soft-luff roller-furling (non-reefing) lapper jib that is sheeted to new inboard tracks on top of the cabin. It can be easily removed and stored below when we want to use the larger 130 percent genoa on the headstay roller furler. We use the inner headsail in heavier wind conditions rather than reefing the big genoa, as it has a more efficient shape and can be sheeted closer inboard for higher pointing ability. It replaces the original baby stay, which is no longer needed since we added swept-back spreaders and moved the shroud chainplates aft. Sail area has increased a little as a result and the original tendency to carry too much weather helm has been eliminated by the bowsprit.

Hunter Riddle of Schurr Sails in Pensacola, Florida, designed and built the new loose-footed mainsail and both headsails. As cruisers, we do not normally carry a spinnaker, but the boat is rigged for one.

A new mast tabernacle was fabricated that allows the mast to be stored on the boat when in trailer mode. The pivot point is above the boom, which stays mounted to the tabernacle and does not need to be removed for travel. The original Proctor mast was reused, stripped of its gold-colored anodizing. It was refurbished with new swept-back spreaders that take the shrouds to new chainplates about a foot aft of their original position.

We rebuilt the aft end of the cockpit

I’m a big fan of a sturdy arch assembly on the stern, and I’ve used one on both of our boats. In each case they were built strong enough to serve as the structural attachment point for a split backstay. In  Ladyship’ s case, the arch also holds an elevated top-mounted traveler that controls the boom and the mainsheet. The traveler and mainsheet lines are led down the sides of the arch into the cockpit through blocks and cam cleats. The top of the arch is a fine place for mounting larger solar panels, and  Ladyship  carries two 100-watt panels as well as antennas on fold-down mounts for travel. The arch also supports the boom and mast when the mast is down and  Ladyship  is in travel mode on her trailer.

The sides of the arch structure carry a swiveling outboard motor carrier for the dinghy, a hard-case LifeSling MOB (man overboard) device, a center-mounted block and tackle for lifting the main propulsion outboard motor out of its well high enough for service, and a solid attachment point for the lifelines. The “roof” provided by the arch also serves as a connector point for a canvas panel (removable and without any frame) that extends overhead coverage all the way aft from the dodger. All this makes the cockpit very protected and secure. LED lights mounted under the arch illuminate the cockpit at night.

The outboard motor is raised and lowered on slides inside the well.

Outboard motor

A winch powered by a 12-volt motor provides the muscle.

The most invasive and extreme departure from the original design is the use of an outboard motor in a built-in well that allows the motor to be retracted vertically with a 12-volt winch motor, thus removing all prop drag under sail. A pair of spring-loaded bomb-bay-style door panels automatically close and seal the hull aperture as the motor and prop travel upward.

In order to build the motor well, the original tiller and rudder were removed and the stern cockpit locker and a portion of the cockpit were cut away. A new vertical workboat-type tiller controls a new transom-mounted blade rudder via a line-and-block system. The use of a vertical tiller that does not sweep across the sitting area increased the usable space in the smallish and deep cockpit.

Bomb-bay doors close the motor well when the outboard is retracted. The guard around the propeller pushes the doors open when the motor is lowered.

Moving the rudder aft to the transom also required the fabrication of a new rudder mount and reinforcement of the transom to take the additional loads. The rudder’s new location places it in the propeller’s thrust stream power and makes turning in close quarters like having “power steering.”

Ladyship  originally had a small Volvo MD-1 inboard diesel. The motor in use now is a 20-horsepower 4-stroke Tohatsu with a normal short shaft and a low-speed pusher prop. It has turned out to be more power than needed, but was originally selected for its larger alternator. In hindsight, I would now choose something smaller like a Yamaha 4-stroke 9.9 high-thrust motor, which would be smaller and lighter and still able to achieve hull speed. The trade-off for lower alternator output has been more than made up for by the 200 watts of solar panels we have on the stern arch.

Both sides of the new motor well are now lockers with removable tops for access. One of these lockers houses the 18-gallon gas tank and the other houses the 12-volt winch motor for the motor-lifting rig, the starting battery, and general storage for fenders and other equipment. Tracks on the tops of these lockers support removable one-person seats on each side of the center motor well.

Both of our boats have a very sturdy boarding ladder that’s permanently mounted on the stern and folds up vertically to be secured under the arch. These ladders can be deployed instantly and extend downward enough to allow the boats to be boarded easily and safely while on their trailers.

Down below, most of the original design and layout was retained. Because the boat no longer carries an inboard diesel, that space was used to install a Mermaid water-cooled air-conditioning system with vents that discharge into the saloon and, via ducting, into the V-berth area. This unit uses one of three Marelon below-the-waterline through-hulls to bring in cooling water for its compressor. As we sail mostly in southern climates, that makes  Ladyship ’s interior very comfortable on hot and muggy nights in a marina. We have no AC generator, so the air-conditioning is for dockside use only. At anchor, there is usually enough breeze to keep the cabin cool.

Ladyship  has a small enclosed head compartment, which now houses a marine head from SeaLand that sits atop its own gravity-fed holding tank. It has no flush plumbing to clog, just a large foot-operated ball valve. It uses a little fresh water to flush. The tank is connected to a deck pumpout with a Y-valve, so the contents can be discharged overboard via a through-hull with a 12-volt diaphragm pump where that’s legal.

The original stainless-steel freshwater tank located under the V-berth was retained with the addition of a top-mounted inspection port for cleaning. It holds about 13 gallons and is filled through a deck plate. The boat had a foot pump that fed one fixture in the galley sink from this water tank. We added a small 12-volt pressure pump to power this system. It now also supplies flushing water to the head and also to a hose bib mounted in the cockpit for rinsing things (like dogs). This hose bib can be back-fed with a hose and pressure reducer from dockside if desired.

The galley is minimal and includes a small sink with one freshwater faucet. We did replace the old countertop with a new one of Corian. For cooking, we use a non-pressurized two-burner gimbaled Origo alcohol stove. For refrigeration, we carry a single 12-volt Engel MRO40F-U1 fridge-freezer recessed into a cutout in the port quarter berth top adjacent to the galley. We use neither of our quarter berths for sleeping and they now serve for storage only. To access the aft portion of these old quarter berths more easily, we installed a pair of aluminum hatches on the cockpit seats. We installed another matching hatch on the cockpit sole for access to the bilge pumps and the air-conditioner’s cooling-water pump. There is also some storage there for a toolbox.

Ladyship’ s saloon has a new fold-up table that lowers into a double-berth position. The forward V-berths are also comparatively large and quite comfortable. We had new cushions made of 4-inch closed-cell foam covered with gray Sunbrella fabric.

The boat originally had a vinyl headliner with a foam backing that had been removed. We elected not to replace any of it, but instead we cleaned the surface and painted it with a single-part epoxy semi-gloss paint over a primer coat mixed with microsphere insulating beads.

As built, the boat had fixed saloon windows and only a pair of small round opening portlights in the head and locker areas. We removed the saloon windows and replaced them with smoke-gray Plexiglas panels that cover the entire area around the cutouts. Four new Vetus opening portlights with screens were then fitted in the Plexiglas. New round Vetus portlights were also installed forward along with a pair of rectangular side portlights for additional ventilation in the V-berth. A forward hatch over the V-berth was rebuilt, reglazed with gray Plexiglas and fitted with a solar-powered vent. New window and cabin interior trim was built of mahogany and stained to match what was left of the original interior woodwork.

The electrical system

The boat had no electrical system when we rescued her. There were remnants of old wiring that had to be removed before we completely re-wired her for both 12-volt DC and 120-volt AC circuits. Shorepower (30 amps) is brought aboard though an external plug aft that has a DEI Marine isolation device on the ground wire. The boat has several internal GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) AC sockets, and the air-conditioner has to have shorepower AC as well.

The boat has a Magnum MMS pure-sine-wave inverter/charger on the DC side that feeds a house bank of two GC-12 golf cart batteries. They give us a house capacity of 360 amp hours, which is sufficient for the electronics, Engel fridge, and all the LED lights throughout the boat.

Our electronic package includes a VHF radio and a GPS chart plotter with Wi-Fi capability. The entertainment system is a Tivoli CD player and FM-XM stereo bookshelf system mounted to the forward saloon bulkhead. The boat has active AIS (Automatic Identification System) installed and uses LED running lights. We have a tiller-pilot autopilot. The instrument package includes a conventional bulkhead compass in the cockpit and a single multi-function display head that displays information from the depth sounder and the masthead-mounted sensor for wind speed and direction.

A custom Blue Seas breaker panel controls both the AC and DC sides. The entire DC panel supply is fed through a DC-DC converter that stabilizes the 12-volt power and prevents any voltage spikes that might kill the LED lights. The boat has several internal 12-volt cigarette lighter outlets and a single fan in the V-berth. One of the 12-volt sockets has a cell phone USB charger built into it.

We use a Blue Sky Energy MPPT solar charge controller to handle the power input from our two solar panels that charge the house bank. Our charging sources for the batteries are the solar panels, the motor’s alternator output, and the Magnum inverter/charger when on shorepower.

We moved the house bank of batteries to a more amidships location and left a smaller starting battery aft for the motor. The motor is connected directly to this smaller 12-volt battery and, when it’s fully charged, the engine alternator’s output is then automatically directed to the house bank via a Balmar parasitic charger. The engine battery and the house bank are normally isolated from each other but can be combined in an emergency.

One of the cast-iron keels, the aluminum arch, and the lifelines are all electrically bonded to the mast for a lightning-discharge path to the water.

Rob cut about 6 inches off the bottom of each keel with a gas-powered concrete saw.

The sail area and the ballast/displacement ratio were recalculated to evaluate what could be safely done to improve performance. Naval architect Cortland Steck determined that our keels could be shortened by about 6 inches to give us a more favorable sail area/displacement ratio in the high teens and also to reduce wetted-surface area. These boats were over-ballasted to begin with and can benefit from some ballast removal. The specified cast iron (about 600 pounds) was removed using a gas-powered concrete saw with a diamond blade — not a job for the faint of heart!

To maintain and improve our pointing ability, we reshaped the keels’ airfoil profiles to make them slightly asymmetrical, as was originally desired in the Laurent Giles design but not implemented by Westerly due to production cost considerations. The inside surfaces of the keels were built up by about ½ inch at the apex of the chord section and the external sides were flattened some by shape sanding before all the corrosion pitting was filled. Both were then faired out and painted with an epoxy barrier. The resulting asymmetrical profile shape tends to lift the boat to weather and also reduces heeling a little.

The keels are attached to the boat with sturdy 1-inch-diameter stainless-steel bolts. We inspected them closely when we dropped the keels to clean and reseal the hull-to-keel joints with 3M 5200 and found them to be in great shape. Because the boat has no inboard engine and attendant prop shaft,  Ladyship ’s bilges are normally completely dry. The air-conditioner’s condensate never gets into the bilges because it is removed by a venturi suction device powered by the water stream exiting the cooling water circuit.

Artist Bill Barnhart adds finishing touches to the crazy topsides!

Miscellaneous

The boat has an automatic 12-volt bilge pump and a manual diaphragm bilge pump with the pump handle socket in the cockpit.

Externally, we were able to repair and refurbish the original teak rubrail while using an automotive spray enamel to repaint any of the deck and topsides areas that we did not cover with Kiwi-Grip non-skid product.

A new cockpit dodger was built by JSI in Florida, who also built the stern arch and mast tabernacle. They also did the new lifelines and supplied a lot of the running rigging and new standing rigging.

We carry three anchors: a primary Bulwagga, a second claw-style on the bow, and a single smaller claw as our stern anchor. I fabricated new PVC chain pipes for the two bow anchor rodes that are now led down into a separated stowage area all the way forward under the V-berth. The rode for the stern anchor is stowed adjacent to the fuel tank locker.

We carry  Ladyship  on a custom aluminum tandem-axle trailer with surge brakes. The trailer has an extending tongue that allows for launching at most ramps. After the modifications to the keels, the boat now draws 3 feet and, including the trailer, weighs in at around 7,500 pounds. We pull with a GMC 2500HD diesel truck.

The hull’s paint job was done by a friend and fellow sailor we met at Lake Havasu. Bill Barnhart is an internationally recognized fine artist, painter, print maker, architectural designer, and sculptor. He’s also a fine sailor and a boat restorer of considerable skill.

Ladyship is frequently trailered, albeit behind a ¾-ton truck.

Good Old Regatta fun

Ladyship  participated in the 2015 St. Petersburg Classic (Good Old Boat) Regatta, a charity event for Meals on Wheels put on every year by the St. Petersburg Yacht Club and St. Petersburg Sailing Association. Bill Wright crewed for Gabi and me and we were amazed at how well  Ladyship  performed. We raced in the Good Old Fun class that consisted of older boats of many different designs. Our class was not under any handicap rules; the boats were placed simply on elapsed time over the usual triangular club-racing course on Tampa Bay. We came in second in a field of about eight other boats and even beat a few others on elapsed time that were in the faster handicapped classes. Most of the race was in light-air conditions in which any stock Westerly twin-keeler would have found herself barely able to finish. Many of the other boats were DNF due to light air. One skipper was certain we had our motor on — LOL. We had it fully retracted!

In  Good Old Boat  May 2016, Allen Penticoff reviewed the Westerly Pageant, a 23-foot twin-keel sloop built by Westerly Marine in England. The boat had been highly customized, so we cautioned readers that  Ladyship , as she is named, is not representative of all Pageants. In fact, she is unique and well worked on, we thought readers would enjoy learning more about her refit from the man responsible. Here, in his own words, is Rob Hoffman’s story.

Article from Good Old Boat Magazine, May/June 2016.

About The Author

Rob Hoffman

Rob Hoffman

Rob Hoffman says he’s much like his own good old boats…aging and in constant need of restoration. He learned to sail from a Cuban instructor in Guantanamo Bay while in the Navy patrolling the Windward Passage during the Cuban missile crisis. He’s hooked on restoring and sailing older sailboats.

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PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY) Detailed Review

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If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY). Built by Westerly Marine Construction Ltd. and designed by Jack Laurent Giles, the boat was first built in 1970. It has a hull type of Twin Keel and LOA is 7.01. Its sail area/displacement ratio 14.32. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Volvo Penta, runs on Diesel.

PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY) has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY) and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, auxillary power tank, contributions, who designed the pageant 23 (westerly).

PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY) was designed by Jack Laurent Giles.

Who builds PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY)?

PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY) is built by Westerly Marine Construction Ltd..

When was PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY) first built?

PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY) was first built in 1970.

How long is PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY)?

PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY) is 5.79 m in length.

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Pageant 23 westerly

The pageant 23 westerly is a 23.0ft masthead sloop designed by laurent giles and partners ltd and built in fiberglass by westerly marine construction ltd. between 1970 and 1979., 551 units have been built..

The Pageant 23 westerly is a moderate weight sailboat which is slightly under powered. It is very stable / stiff and has a good righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a coastal cruiser. The fuel capacity is originally very small. There is a very short water supply range.

Pageant 23 westerly sailboat under sail

Pageant 23 westerly for sale elsewhere on the web:

westerly 23 sailboat

Main features

Model Pageant 23 westerly
Length 23 ft
Beam 8 ft
Draft 2.83 ft
Country United Kingdom (Europe)
Estimated price $ 0 ??

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westerly 23 sailboat

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Sail area / displ. 14.32
Ballast / displ. 48.70 %
Displ. / length 279.87
Comfort ratio 20.61
Capsize 1.97
Hull type Monohull twin Keel
Construction Fiberglass
Waterline length 19 ft
Maximum draft 2.83 ft
Displacement 4300 lbs
Ballast 2094 lbs
Hull speed 5.84 knots

westerly 23 sailboat

We help you build your own hydraulic steering system - Lecomble & Schmitt

Rigging Masthead Sloop
Sail area (100%) 236 sq.ft
Air draft 0 ft ??
Sail area fore 0 sq.ft ??
Sail area main 0 sq.ft ??
I 0 ft ??
J 0 ft ??
P 0 ft ??
E 0 ft ??
Nb engines 1
Total power 10 HP
Fuel capacity 10 gals

Accommodations

Water capacity 15 gals
Headroom 0 ft
Nb of cabins 0
Nb of berths 0
Nb heads 0

Builder data

Builder Westerly Marine Construction Ltd.
Designer Laurent Giles and partners ltd
First built 1970
Last built 1979
Number built 551

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  • Sailboat Guide

Westerly Kendal 23

Westerly Kendal 23 is a 23 ′ 7 ″ / 7.2 m monohull sailboat designed by Jack Laurent Giles and built by Westerly Marine between 1970 and 1979.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

  • SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
  • D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

  • D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
  • LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

  • D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
  • LOA: Length overall in feet
  • Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The KENDAL is the fin keel version of the PAGEANT. Very few built.

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Westerly Sailboats Information

Westerly sailboats were built by Westerly Marine Construction, Ltd., a company that was founded by Commander Denys Rayner in the early 1960's. Rayner was a sailboat designer at heart with a passion for rugged little boats that could be taken to sea and brought home with little fuss. In fact, he wrote several books on sailing small crafts, and although technology has transformed sailing in the years since, his books and guides still manage to impart a timeless wisdom on the subject. in the late 1950's Rayner collaborated with a local manufacturer of plywood caravans to design plywood dinghies to be offered along with them. This turn of events led to the founding of the Beacon Boat Company, where Rayner also began building and selling small sailboats with very distinctive designs which eventually led to the first Westcoaster. Rayner built and sold about 60 of his Westcoaster sailboats, and along the way began experimenting with a new process of building hulls with glass reinforced plastic, or GRP. In 1963 he moved his expanding enterprise of GRP family sailing boats to a new location as the firm of Westerly Marine Construction, Ltd. Westerly Marine grew to become Britain's largest yacht building company and during the 1970's was considered a leader in family yachts. The Westerly 22 was the first sailboat produced by Westerly Marine and was based largely on Rayner's original Westcoaster design. The Westerly 25, 28, 21, and 33 followed as new models emerged, sometimes several per year, until Westerly Sailboats ceased operations in 2000 .  

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  • Westerly Cirrus

The Westerly Cirrus 22 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Westerly Cirrus 22 is a classic British sailboat that was designed by John A. Butler and built by Westerly Marine Ltd in tyhe UK. It is a small but seaworthy cruiser that can accommodate up to four people in a cozy cabin. It is easy to handle and fun to sail, and has a loyal following of owners and enthusiasts.

A Westerly Cirrus 22 sailboat sailing downwind

Published Specification for the Westerly Cirrus

Underwater Profile:  Fin keel & spade rudder

Hull Material:  GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall:  22'0"  ( 6.7m)

Waterline Length:  19'0"  ( 5.8m)

Beam:  8'0"  ( 2.4m)

Draft:  3'6"  ( 1.1m)

Rig Type:  Sloop

Displacement:  3,240lb (1,470kg)

Ballast: 1,455lb (660kg)

Designer: John Butler

Builder: Westerly Marine Ltd (UK)

Year First Built:  1968

Year Last Built:  1972

Number Built:  398

Published Design Ratios for the Westerly Cirrus

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 17.1

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 44.9

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 211

4. Comfort Ratio: 15.8

5. Capsize Screening Formula:   2.2

Read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the  Westerly Cirrus

'How to Avoid Buying the Wrong Sailboat', an eBook by Dick McClary

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 17.1 suggests that the Westerly Cirrus will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 44.9 means that the Westerly Cirrus will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 211, tells us the Westerly Cirrus is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 15.8 suggests that the Westerly Cirrus will have the motion underway to that of a lightweight racing boat, although she certainly isn't one. Crew comfort will often be memorable for all the wrong reasons. Upwind in lively conditions the Westerly Cirrus will slam enough to shake your fillings out with a motion that most cruising sailors have no desire to get used to.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula of 2.2 tells us that a Westerly Cirrus would not be as good a choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making, owing to the increased risk of capsize in strong winds and heavy seas when compared to a sailboat with a CSF of less than 2.0.

Any Questions?

What other versions of the Westerly Cirrus 22 were built?

There were two other versions of the Westerly Cirrus 22: the Westerly Pageant 23 and the Westerly Windrush 25. The Pageant 23 was a slightly longer version with a bilge keel and a different cabin layout. The Windrush 25 was a stretched version with a longer waterline and more sail area.

What is the accommodation like in the Westerly Cirrus 22?

The Westerly Cirrus 22 has a simple but functional accommodation for up to four people. There is a V-berth in the forepeak, a dinette that converts to a double berth in the saloon, and a small galley with a sink and stove. There is also a separate head compartment with a marine toilet.

What, if any, alternative accommodation layout versions are available for the Westerly Cirrus 22?

There are no alternative accommodation layout versions for the Westerly Cirrus 22, as far as I know. The original design was optimized for space and comfort in a small boat.

What is the Westerly Cirrus 22 like to sail?

The Westerly Cirrus 22 is a lively and responsive sailboat that can handle a variety of wind and sea conditions. It is easy to sail single-handed or with a small crew, and has good speed and stability. It is also suitable for racing or cruising, depending on the equipment and preferences of the owner.

What is the average cost of a secondhand Westerly Cirrus 22?

The average cost of a secondhand Westerly Cirrus 22 depends on the condition, age, location, and features of the boat. Based on some online listings, it can range from £2,000 to £6,000.

Is this boatbuilder still in business?

No, unfortunately, this boatbuilder is not still in business. Westerly Marine Ltd was founded in 1963 and produced over 12,000 boats until it went into receivership in 2000. The company was later acquired by Vision Yachts, which continued to produce some models until 2007.

What other sailboats have been created by this designer?

John A. Butler was a prolific yacht designer who created many sailboats for Westerly Marine Ltd and other builders. Some of his other designs include the Westerly Centaur, the Westerly Fulmar, the Westerly Griffon, the Westerly Konsort, the Westerly Longbow, the Westerly Merlin, the Westerly Renown, the Westerly Storm, and the Westerly Tempest.

The above answers were drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; to the best of our knowledge,  we believe them to be accurate.

Other sailboats in the Westerly range include:

A Westerly 22 sailboat in very light conditions

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Westerly Centaur 26: Can this 1969 GRP boat be considered a true classic?

Westerly-Centaur-26-Centaur-photo

Sir Robin’s first non-stop, solo circumnavigation, Abbey Road and the Moon landing can all be considered ‘classic’. What about Britain’s best-selling cabin yacht of all time, also born in 1969? Gary O’Grady thinks so…

The Centaur is a remarkable 26-footer and has garnered a following of owners and admirers who appreciate its practicality, versatility and charm. Its twin keels allow for drying out on tidal moorings, or for a day out on the beach.

It offers a full height cabin with five berths and a good-sized head all within its tidy 26ft (8m). But it’s not just its practicality that endears the Westerly Centaur 26 to us but how it makes us feel.

We all remember fondly the halcyon days of summer when, as a child, the days felt warmer, and school holidays lasted an eternity. This is how we remember the youthful carefree days of our childhood and also how we remember our first sailing adventures on a Westerly, most likely a Centaur.

Whether it was Grandad taking us out for the day to anchor off East Head or running around the Earls Court Boat Show, playing hide and seek with our siblings while Dad excitedly emptied the savings jar at the Westerly stand buying the first family boat.

It seems whenever we see a Westerly Centaur 26, with that flared bow, happily bouncing along it brings strong nostalgic feelings to the surface. For the first time, real sailing in a real boat became affordable, the Centaur changed everything.

Westerly-Centaur-26-Screenshot-2024-04-30-at-12.29.28

For so many the Centaur was their first boat, the most important boat, as it fashioned their sailing for years to come. Westerly democratised sailing like no other manufacturer before and brought so many more people to sea.

Sure, she may not be the most beautiful boat on the water, certainly not so beautiful as to make Uffa Fox salivate excitedly or Tom Cunliffe to leap out of his bath of Stockholm tar exclaiming his unrequited love for glassfibre (heaven forbid!). But the Centaur is all about how you feel, the emotions inspired of these golden days long past.

The Centaur is probably the most recognisable boat out there sailing. How many times have you heard a crew member remark after seeing a Centaur glide by, ‘we had a Centaur when I was growing up’ or ‘my uncle had a centaur’ there is always a story and almost certainly a family story. The Westerly Centaur like no other was, and still remains today, a real family boat.

Introduced at the London Boat Show in 1969 it remained in production until 1980 when it was replaced by the Griffon. The first design effort was a bit of a disaster, since Laurent Giles had come up with what amounted to a development of the existing Westerly 25, which David Sanders thought was “all curves and no substance.” David Sanders was very disappointed and made it clear to Jack Giles who immediately perked up and remarked, “so you want a proper yacht?” And with these words the Centaur was born.

There was a renewed interest in small boat sailing at this time in the UK with Sir Francis Chichester completing his one stop circumnavigation two years previously and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston going one better and circumnavigating – without stopping – in the Golden Globe Race finishing in 1969. This was a golden era in UK sailing, producing heroes and at the same time a multitude of new boats coming to market.

This new method of glassfibre boat construction enabled production on a mass scale never seen before. In addition, it provided for far easier maintenance so even the layman could maintain his boat to an acceptable degree.

Westerly-Centaur-26-Old-Centaur-photo

The starting price was a mere £2,490 before loading up on extras with just a £50 deposit required. This equates to about £50,000 today so, for a new boat, can been considered quite a bargain.

Sales literature at the time in 1969 rightly described the Westerly Centaur 26 as a seaworthy, spacious, and handsome boat in which you can cruise in extreme comfort. Within two years of her initial launch over 400 had been sold with the moulds in Waterlooville, Hants working overtime to satisfy the insatiable demand. 1974 saw the introduction of a ketch rigged Centaur but sadly this didn’t prove a popular choice with less than 20 produced.

The solid Westerly build makes the sailing experience very forgiving for the novice skipper leading to an increased confidence and, if you grounded, no problem, have lunch and wait for the next tide. After a production run of 2,444 hulls, it was clearly the UK’s most successful mass-produced boat.

Westerly-Centaur-26-Original-drawing

By way of example of their enduring appeal, as you enter Cowes harbour in the main channel take a look to port and you’ll see a Centaur lying to a swing mooring. Ironically named 10 Cents , this is one of the earliest models being the 10th produced and is still sailed today by the third generation of the same family. This is no boat; it’s an heirloom!

The Centaur’s enduring popularity to experienced sailors as well as newcomers are testament to the fact that this boat is surely a British classic. No other boat can claim such widespread recognition and affection.

Even the Royal Thames Yacht Club that houses a unique model room with a fine selection of half-models of the most iconic yachts and boats ever built, has a Centaur as a half model. In column 16 you’ll find this just two models away from Sir Edward Heath’s famous yacht Morning Cloud .

The second-hand market is healthy for these boats and for around £10,000 you can get your hands on a pretty decent model ready to sail making the entry cost very reasonable. Also the Westerly Owners Association , the largest boating owning association in the world, has a decent website for buying and selling Westerly boats and spares. For just £17.50 a year represents exceptional value for money.

Westerly Centaur 26 specifications

Design: Laurent Giles Builder: Westerly Marine Constructions LOA: 26ft (7.9m) LWL: 21ft 4in (6.5m) Beam: 8ft 5in (2.6m) Draught: 3ft (0.9m) Keel: Twin

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  1. Westerly Pageant 23 Ft Yacht for sale from United Kingdom

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  5. PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY)

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  6. 23 Foot Westerly Pageant Sail Boat for sale from United Kingdom

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  1. Westerly, Rhode Island

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  5. The Noosa Bar and Bay. Tuesday morning, August 6, 2024

  6. Westerly Pentland Sloop

COMMENTS

  1. PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY)

    It takes into consideration "reported" sail area, displacement and length at waterline. The higher the number the faster speed prediction for the boat. A cat with a number 0.6 is likely to sail 6kts in 10kts wind, a cat with a number of 0.7 is likely to sail at 7kts in 10kts wind. KSP = (Lwl*SA÷D)^0.5*0.5

  2. Westerly sailboats for sale by owner.

    Westerly preowned sailboats for sale by owner. Westerly used sailboats for sale by owner. Home. Register & Post. View All Sailboats. Search. Avoid Fraud. ... 23' WD Schock Santana 23R Mt Dora, Florida Asking $12,500. 38' Yankee Yachts 38 Newmarket, New Hampshire Asking $35,500. 30' Alberg 30 Oxnard, California

  3. Ladyship: Reinventing a Westerly Pageant 23

    In Good Old Boat May 2016, Allen Penticoff reviewed the Westerly Pageant, a 23-foot twin-keel sloop built by Westerly Marine in England. The boat had been highly customized, so we cautioned readers that Ladyship, as she is named, is not representative of all Pageants. In fact, she is unique and well worked on, we thought readers would enjoy ...

  4. Westerly Pageant 23

    Westerly Pageant 23 is a 22′ 11″ / 7 m monohull sailboat designed by Jack Laurent Giles and built by Westerly Marine between 1970 and 1979. ... The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more. Formula. D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³ D: Displacement of the boat in ...

  5. Westerly Marine Construction Ltd.

    Westerly Marine Construction of Hampshire, England, was one of Europe's leading production builder of fiberglass composite sailboats from the mid 1960's through the 1970's. Became part of the Bowman Group in the mid 1990's. Years in Business: 1964 - 2000. Sailboats Built By Westerly Marine Construction Ltd. (Dates indicate when boat was first ...

  6. PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY): Reviews, Specifications, Built, Engine

    Built by Westerly Marine Construction Ltd. and designed by Jack Laurent Giles, the boat was first built in 1970. It has a hull type of Twin Keel and LOA is 7.01. Its sail area/displacement ratio 14.32. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Volvo Penta, runs on Diesel. PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY) has retained its value as a result of superior ...

  7. Pageant 23 westerly

    The Pageant 23 westerly is a 23.0ft masthead sloop designed by Laurent Giles and partners ltd and built in fiberglass by Westerly Marine Construction Ltd. between 1970 and 1979. 551 units have been built. The Pageant 23 westerly is a moderate weight sailboat which is slightly under powered. It is very stable / stiff and has a good righting ...

  8. PAGEANT 23

    The PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY) is a popular sailing boat that was manufactured by Westerly Yachts in the United Kingdom. It is a small, but sturdy and well-built yacht that is suitable for both coastal cruising and inland waterways. Here are some key features and specifications of the PAGEANT 23 (WESTERLY) sailing boat: 1.

  9. Westerly sailboats for sale by owner.

    Your search returned 2 matches of 101671 sailboats posted to date. Sort by: Length Year Price Added Westerly Pageant

  10. Westerly sailboats for sale by owner.

    Westerly preowned sailboats for sale by owner. Westerly used sailboats for sale by owner.

  11. Westerly Pagent 23 sailboat for sale

    Storage abounds, everything within easy access for the lone sailor and yet the comfort for taking along the crew. The 6'6" self-bailing cockpit is deep and comfortable, while her shoal draft twin keels make it secure to sail and trailer. lenth over all 23'1". headroom 6'1'. length water line 19'. berths 4 in two cabins.

  12. Buy Westerly Pageant 23

    Key features Westerly Pageant 23: length 7 meters, beam 2.44 meters and max boat draft 1.07 meters. Hull key features Westerly Pageant 23: keel type - other keel. Total berths - 5. Westerly Pageant 23 refers to classes: sailing yachts, antique classic sailing boats, sailboats and sailing sloops. To clarify the price £2,850 and buy Westerly ...

  13. Westerly 23 sailboat for sale

    Go to Sailing Texas classifieds for current sailboats for sale . 1969 Westerly 23 twin keel and shoal draft, heavy duty double axle flatbed trailer, main and jib, roller reef on main sail, extra heavy duty standing rigging, older honda 7.5 4 stroke outboard,excellant cushions, 2 double and 1 single berth, enclosed head, standing headroom, large sette and galley w/ lots of storage, freshwater ...

  14. Westerly Kendal 23

    Westerly Kendal 23 is a 23′ 7″ / 7.2 m monohull sailboat designed by Jack Laurent Giles and built by Westerly Marine between 1970 and 1979. ... The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more. Formula. D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³ D: Displacement of the boat in ...

  15. Westerly Yachts

    The Westerly 22 was the first sailboat produced by Westerly Marine and was based largely on Rayner's original Westcoaster design. The Westerly 25, 28, 21, and 33 followed as new models emerged, sometimes several per year, until Westerly Sailboats ceased operations in 2000.

  16. Sail Westerly boats for sale

    Find Sail Westerly boats for sale in your area & across the world on YachtWorld. Offering the best selection of Westerly boats to choose from.

  17. Westerly sailboats for sale by owner.

    15-10' Edy & Duff NG Herreshoff 16' DOUGHDISH Herreshoff 12.5 Washington Sailing Marina 1 Marina Dr Alexandria, Virginia Asking $20,000

  18. Westerly boats for sale

    Find Westerly boats for sale in your area & across the world on YachtWorld. Offering the best selection of Westerly boats to choose from. ... Iconic Marine Boat Sales & Service | Washington, North Carolina. 2018 SeaVee 340Z. US$329,000. SeaVee Boats | Moore Haven, Florida. 2017 NauticStar 215 XTS. US$39,000. Yachts360 | Wilmington, North Carolina.

  19. The Westerly Cirrus 22 Sailboat

    There were two other versions of the Westerly Cirrus 22: the Westerly Pageant 23 and the Westerly Windrush 25. The Pageant 23 was a slightly longer version with a bilge keel and a different cabin layout. The Windrush 25 was a stretched version with a longer waterline and more sail area.

  20. Westerly boats for sale

    View a wide selection of Westerly boats for sale in your area, explore detailed information & find your next boat on boats.com. #everythingboats. Explore. Back. Explore View All. Overnight Cruising; House Boats; Mega Yachts; Motor Yachts; Catamarans; View More; Day Cruising ... Westerly Regatta 260 . Ipswich, Suffolk, United Kingdom. 1992.

  21. Westerly Centaur 26: Can this 1969 GRP boat be ...

    This equates to about £50,000 today so, for a new boat, can been considered quite a bargain. Sales literature at the time in 1969 rightly described the Westerly Centaur 26 as a seaworthy, spacious, and handsome boat in which you can cruise in extreme comfort. Within two years of her initial launch over 400 had been sold with the moulds in ...

  22. CIRRUS 22 (WESTERLY)

    It takes into consideration "reported" sail area, displacement and length at waterline. The higher the number the faster speed prediction for the boat. A cat with a number 0.6 is likely to sail 6kts in 10kts wind, a cat with a number of 0.7 is likely to sail at 7kts in 10kts wind. KSP = (Lwl*SA÷D)^0.5*0.5